Severe Tonsillitis?!

[CheeseSandwich1]

Wednesday morning I woke up feeling fine, by 4pm I was in bed with sorest throat, shivers, then burning up. I barely slept Wednesday night and woke up Thursday morning with very swollen tonsils with yellow all over them.

I went to the doctors on Thursday, I was given a 10 day course of antibiotics. I’m sure they’ve swollen even more since yesterday.

At what point do I need to call 111/A&E. I know it sounds dramatic but I’ve never had swelling/yellow tonsils like this in my life and I’m concerned it could be quinsy?

Picture included as I’ve never had tonsillitis like this before (not actually had it in 10 years) so I don’t know at what point the swelling/yellow spots are serious.

Ring 111 now and see what they say. Given you’ve been on the antibiotics and it’s not improving you probably do need to be seen asap.

Those tonsils are huge! Definitely call 111 for advice.

If antibiotics are not sorting it and it’s getting worse you may need a different type. I’d try to get an appointment at OOH asap - or minor injuries if you have one in your area (where I am, you ring 111 and they call you back and book you into the hospital OOH clinic).

This is definitely a time when you need to be seen again, just in case of something like quinsy — a colleague had that recently and had to be admitted to have a throat abscess drained, you don’t want to risk something like that!

Do you mean Thursday as in yesterday?Antibiotics take at least 48hrs to show improvement with bacterial tonsillitis (strep throat). I would imagine you'll see a difference tomorrow.

However if you have been on antibiotics for 8 days with no improvement I would call 111 or go to a walk in centre tomorrow.

Yes, that’s true. I assumed above that it had been 8 days, but yes if it was just the last couple of days the abs won’t have quite kicked in yet.

Ohh that looks painful. Timeline wise do you mean THIS week or LAST week? If you have taken a day's worth of a 10 day course of antibiotics, as in you went to the doctors yesterday, then the medication won't have made a difference yet. There's probably no point going for more medical advice unless you can't swallow liquid, because they will probably say that the antibiotics are the treatment you need and until those have time to work there's not much else to do. If you mean 8 days ago Thursday then 111 or walk in centre tomorrow as those antibiotics are not doing anything and you probably need different ones.

I only started them yesterday, had 3x pills. I’ve just never been in so much pain, childbirth was easier than this! I will see how I feel tomorrow. Thank you all x

Hopefully the antibiotics have kicked in and you are starting to feel better, if it's still getting worse and you can't swallow your own saliva call 111
DH and DD have both had quinsey in the past and ended up in hospital.
DD knows the signs of tonsillitis and is always quick to get ABs

My DH has had the exact same this week. His neck was actually visibly swollen on the outside, never seen anything like it! Anyhow, it took 2 days for any noticeable difference from the antibiotics for him, by day 3 he could see the light at the end of the tunnel. Gargling warm salt water is very good for throat pain and swelling, 2-3x a day.

Have the antibiotics kicked in yet?

Tonsillitis is hellish.

How are you, OP?